Vermonters in the Civil War
Vermont soldiers in the Civil War wrote an enormous quantity of letters and diaries, of which many thousands have survived in libraries, historical societies, and in private hands. This collection represents a selection of letters and diaries from the University of Vermont and the Vermont Historical Society.
The collection includes materials dating from 1861-1865. Materials were selected for digitization to provide a variety of perspectives on events and issues. The voices represented in the collection include private soldiers and officers, as well as a few civilians. All of the extant Civil War-era letters or diaries of each of the selected individuals (at least, all that are to be found in the participating institutions’ collections) are included; each adds a certain experience and point of view to the whole.
Officers in the photo above are (from left to right): Lieutenant Colonel Charles B. Stoughton, Colonel Edwin H. Stoughton, Major Harry N. Worthen. All are from the Fourth Vermont Infantry Regiment.
Showing 31 - 40 of 118 Records
Justus F. Gale to Brother
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- Creator: Gale, Justus F., 1837-1863.
- Date Created: 1862-05-25
- Description: Topics include the process of choosing new officers and police in New Orleans, Gen. Butler's orders to the N.O. police being refused, illness among some of the soldiers, fruit berries available, other provisions few and expensive, summary of all the letters that have been received by Justus Gale, and how welcome the Vermont regiment is in New Orleans.
- Parent Collections: Vermonters in the Civil War, Justus F. Gale Correspondence
Justus F. Gale to Father
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- Creator: Gale, Justus F., 1837-1863.
- Date Created: 1862-06-06
- Description: Topics include the good living conditions in New Orleans, the Indiana regiment taking meat from the rebels, been on cooking duty, good meals, fresh beef, waiting for military pay and the possibility of leaving soon.
- Parent Collections: Vermonters in the Civil War, Justus F. Gale Correspondence
Justus F. Gale to Sister
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- Creator: Gale, Justus F., 1837-1863.
- Date Created: 1863-01-25
- Description: Topics include the sore on his hand and how it is healing, the summer-like weather and how the birds in Louisiana are different from the birds in Vermont, their campsite in Thibodeaux, Louisiana, and how much he dislikes southern cooking, which he calls “niger stoge” but has fresh fruit to eat. He also writes about how much money he has made in speculation and of sending home a ring made from a beef bone by their drummer Walter Barnes.
- Parent Collections: Vermonters in the Civil War, Justus F. Gale Correspondence
Justus F. Gale to Sister
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- Creator: Gale, Justus F., 1837-1863.
- Date Created: 1863-02-21
- Description: Topics include news about his father’s recent marriage, dinner at the home of a Massachusetts family that had been driven off a plantation they owned north of New Orleans, the money owed him by the government, and his speculation in watches.
- Parent Collections: Vermonters in the Civil War, Justus F. Gale Correspondence
Justus F. Gale to Sister
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- Creator: Gale, Justus F., 1837-1863.
- Date Created: 1863-05-29
- Description: Gale begins his letter with a humorous poem. He then writes that the 8th Vermont is now with the Corps laying seige to Port Hudson, which is strongly fortified and describes a skirmish that resulted in two killed and three wounded from his Company. He also writes that there is constant cannonading and that his company is behind one hill, while the rebels are behind another nearby, and that one day he shot 100 cartridges. He tells his sister he has plenty to eat and that he is safe, even when in action, since he only has to show his head enough to fire.
- Parent Collections: Vermonters in the Civil War, Justus F. Gale Correspondence
Henry A. Smith to Family
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- Creator: Smith, Henry A., d. 1864.
- Date Created: 1864-01-10
- Description: Topics include how he is the only one left of his company that has not been exchanged and a list of the items he wants sent to him in a box.
- Parent Collections: Vermonters in the Civil War, Henry A. Smith Correspondence
Lyman S. Williams to Lois L. Williams
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- Creator: Williams, Lyman S., 1839-1905.
- Date Created: 1863-08-06
- Description: Writes his health is good, the weather is hot, the men have a good camp ground and good water close by. States he has received letters from home and tells of the different types of food crops grown in Virginia ; gives his opinion of some men folk at home, of men drafted but who run away and refuse to fight, and sends this letter with no postage stamp as his request for some has not yet been fulfilled.
- Parent Collections: Vermonters in the Civil War, Lyman S. Williams Correspondence
John Lester Barstow to Laura
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- Creator: Barstow, John Lester, 1832-1913.
- Date Created: 1862-11-23
- Description: Written in the field he writes of idleness of the Regiment since its arrival on the banks of the Bayon and the help the Negroes are receiving from the government, the lack of coffee, poor quality flour, no salt, spoiled meat causing disease, exorbitant prices for food.
- Parent Collections: Vermonters in the Civil War, John Lester Barstow Correspondence
Roswell Farnham to Laura
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- Creator: Farnham, Roswell, 1827-1903.
- Date Created: 1863-06-08
- Description: Discomforts of camp life including bug bites and the discomfort they cause, food, the Court of Inquiry regarding the conduct of Lieutenant Hartshorn while commanding the guard on the train that was destroyed (May 30th), the good chance of having to spend forty-eight hours on picket line by the end of the week.
- Parent Collections: Vermonters in the Civil War, Roswell Farnham Correspondence
Joseph Rutherford to [Hannah Rutherford]
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- Creator: Rutherford, Joseph Chase, 1818-1902.
- Date Created: 1863-01-02
- Description: Writing from camp at White's Ford (over the Potomac River) two letters dated Jan 2 and Jan 6 include topics of a description of the night of the expected fight, of having enough food to eat that he is gaining weight, of the camp's glee club singing, of being homesick and wanting a leave but may be on the eve of "some great event", a description of the camp ground, promotions within the camp including himself as Acting Surgeon and the possibility of a brigade hospital being created with himself most likely being put in charge of it.
- Parent Collections: Vermonters in the Civil War, Joseph Chase Rutherford Correspondence